


To Fight the Dawn

by Pestiset



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, No Smut, stream of consciousness almost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-30 18:01:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6434680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pestiset/pseuds/Pestiset
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skyhold is different the night before Morwenna Trevelyan leaves on a mission. The soldiers sing in the tavern, songs of loss, songs of love and songs of leaving. It's never really affected her before. But tonight is different. Tonight she seeks out Cullen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Fight the Dawn

There is a certain energy about Skyhold the night before the Inquisitor departs. Maryden sits with Krem, her lute abandoned by the stairs. The enigmatic captain that Cullen found in Kirkwall always picks it up and plays strange, unknown yet familiar songs, songs of love, songs of loss, and songs of leaving. The soldiers, the Chargers, the mages, the Templars, they sit, they listen, and they join in.

It’s on one of these nights that the words of a song suddenly hold more meaning for Morwenna, lounging in Sera’s room with a raisin cookie in her hand. She excuses herself hurriedly, earning a snigger from Sera, and dashes up to the next storey, only just remembering to spare a greeting for Cole. 

“He feels like quiet, stronger when you hold him.” 

She slows at Coles words, turning to him with a smile. 

“I know. Thank you Cole,” she murmurs, before vaulting up the last steps two at a time and through the door into Bull’s bedroom. He and Dorian aren’t there, thank the Maker, but she doesn’t linger, jogging out onto the battlements, shoving her hands into her armpits as the evening chill takes hold. It’s only a matter of moments before she’s at Cullen’s door, pausing with her hand raised to knock. 

What if he’s busy? What if he doesn’t want to see her? 

She shakes her head, smiling to herself and pushes the door open. Stepping into the room, she stopped in surprise. 

“Cullen?” she asked, peering around the dark room. Conjuring a flame for light, she scurried up the ladder she knew led to his bedchamber. It was colder than the floor below, and just as empty. With a sigh she slid back down the ladder and began to trudge back towards the main hall. 

The wind caught her as she crossed the bridge and she shivered as she ran towards the door to Solas’ rotunda. Bursting through, she started as the door slammed shut behind her. Solas wasn’t there, much to her surprise, and she made it through the main hall and into the stairwell adjoining her chambers without being accosted by any of the diminishing numbers of nobles milling about.

Her shoulders drooped as she reached the door to her chambers, unwilling to face the night alone, but equally unwilling to traipse around Skyhold in search of her… Lover? Paramour? Suitor? She still wasn’t sure what they were, but she missed him, and wanted a night to say goodbye properly, from one lover to another, not Inquisitor to Commander. She scoffed as she pushed open the door and started to climb the last few stairs, she’d clearly been reading too many of Varric’s novels – that particular thought was far too saccharine for her tastes. 

She stopped with a gasp when she reached the top of the stairs. 

Tiny candles were dotted on every possible surface, a fire roared in the fireplace, the heavy curtains were pulled, and Cullen was sprawled across her sofa, wine glass in one hand and ‘The Collected Works of Varric Tethras’ in the other. He glanced her way with a smile, placing the book and the wine on the nearby table before walking over to her. 

“I was hoping you’d stop by,” he whispered, reaching out to cup her cheek. She leaned into his touch, looking up at him with a smirk.

“These are my chambers,” she said, watching his eyes crinkle with mirth. “I’d have hoped I’d stop by.” 

“Point made,” he commented, trailing his hand down her shoulder and arm before catching her hand and stepping backwards. “I’m just glad we’re getting to spend the evening together.” 

She followed his lead, stepping back in close and rising up on her toes, stopping when she was a hairs breadth away from his lips. 

“Stay the night Cullen,” she murmured. “Fight the break of dawn with me.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, gripping her waist and pulling her close to his chest. 

“Never been surer,” she whispered, feeling more than hearing his ragged exhale before he pressed his lips to hers.

**Author's Note:**

> So this was born out of working on a post grad assignment whilst listening to "Save Tonight" by Eagle Eye Cherry on Spotify. Procrastination ensued. Listen to the song while reading for extra helpings of feels.


End file.
